New Releases category interest

Today, WAR shares "So," the second single from their forthcoming Live In Japan 1974 LP, marking the first live album in 50 years to feature all seven original band members. The track has long been considered a hidden gem within WAR’s robust catalog of classics, but this release allows the song to step into the spotlight, further amplified by the atmosphere of a venue packed with fans, experiencing WAR’s inaugural performances in the country. Originally taped in the winter of 1974, these newly restored recordings span a series of live shows across Shizuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe, including this never-before-heard live rendition of “So.”

Listen to "So" (Live in Japan, 1974) Here

And Pre-Order Live In Japan 1974 via Rhino

With a Japan-exclusive CD arriving January 29, 2025—featuring a custom obi sleeve and liner notes by local music journalists—Live In Japan 1974 will get a global release on February 7, 2025. The collection will be available in 2LP and 2CD sets worldwide, as well as digitally, and includes a variety of live recordings of WAR staples like “The Cisco Kid,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” and “All Day Music.” The liner notes, written and edited by Cory Frye, feature an in-depth interview with founding band member Lonnie Jordan and WAR’s longtime producer Jerry Goldstein, and also reveal the story behind the creation of yet another iconic WAR song, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” inspired by the band’s interactions with locals during their debut tour of Japan. 

Packed with previously unheard performances and insights into a pivotal moment in the band’s history and evolution, Live In Japan 1974 offers fans a deeper understanding of WAR’s global impact, and serves as a perfect sonic touchstone to begin celebrating the band’s 55th Anniversary next year. Additionally, WAR will mark the 50th Anniversary of Why Can’t We Be Friends throughout 2025, on the heels of performing the titular hit song live on last month’s Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Furthermore, the release of Live In Japan 1974 will see two nights of two-set shows at Japan’s Blue Note Tokyo on February 7- 8, 2025. Coinciding with the international street date, these performances will double as a celebration of the record’s release, with more details to come. Tickets will be available here.

Live In Japan 1974 Tracklist

CD

Disc 1

1. THE WORLD IS A GHETTO

2. SOUTHERN PART OF TEXAS

3. THE CISCO KID

4. SO

5. ALL DAY MUSIC

6. DON’T LET NO ONE GET YOU DOWN

Disc 2

1. LOTUS BLOSSOM

2. GYPSY MAN

3. BAND INTRO

4. INTRO TO SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS: LEE OSKAR

5. SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS

6. ME AND BABY BROTHER

7. SHIZUOKA CHANT

8. WHERE WAS YOU AT

 

LP

Side 1

1. THE WORLD IS A GHETTO

2. SOUTHERN PART OF TEXAS

Side 2

1. THE CISCO KID

2. SO

3. ALL DAY MUSIC

Side 3

1. DON’T LET NO ONE GET YOU DOWN

2. GYPSY MAN

Side 4

1. BAND INTRO

2. INTRO TO SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS: LEE OSKAR

3. SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS

4. ME AND BABY BROTHER

5. SHIZUOKA CHANT